‘Octocopter’ captures spectacular aerial views of Temple

A video showing spectacular aerial views of the Baha’i Temple in Sydney, Australia has been launched.

The video includes close-up as well as more distant views of the 40-metre-tall Temple together with its surrounding gardens and bushland.

A low-altitude aerial video production team, Rotor Works, undertook the filming before sunrise on 7 January 2013 with the permission of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Australia, the Faith’s national governing body.

Rotor Works, which is based in Sydney, used an innovative remote-controlled device known as an “Octocopter” to capture the footage.

Using eight sets of rotating blades in a fashion similar to a helicopter, the device carried a video camera which its controllers adjusted to film at various heights, distances and directions.

A spokesperson for the Australian Baha’i Community, Venus Khalessi, said the filming took only an hour to complete.

“We were fortunate on the morning of the filming that the sun’s rays shone through an opening in the clouds to provide an uplifting backdrop to the Temple, “ Ms Khalessi said.

“The Temple is a precious and sacred place to Baha’is and is also well loved by many members of the surrounding communities who often drop by to spend some quiet time there,” she said.

“We are very grateful to the Rotor Works team, who offered their services to film the Temple and to produce the wonderful video.

“We are also grateful to singer Shadi Toloui-Wallace, accompanied by her sister Hoda Toloui-Wallace, for the gift of a beautiful melody, using the Writings of Baha’u’llah, that is so appropriate to this House of Worship.”

Ms Khalessi said she hoped the video would encourage more people to visit the Temple.

“It is open daily from 9am to 5pm and is located at 173 Mona Vale Road, Ingleside, and everyone is welcome," she said.

Sydney artists whose friends and family have suffered religious persecution in Iran opened an exhibition of their work at Articulate Project Space in Leichhardt, New South Wales on 5 August 2017. The exhibition will continue until 20 August 2017 and will include a public program of art workshops, performances and artist talks, including activities for children and families.

Discussion about Iran is vitally important for those concerned about human rights, freedom of religion and a just world, journalist John Cleary said at a reception after a Human Rights Day service at the Baha’i Temple in Sydney on 4 December 2016.